Shoulder decisions — 2009

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, characterized by tendonitis rotator cuff impingement syndrome and arthritis, is rated at a minimum of 10 percent due to limitation of motion. The appeal for higher ratings is denied.

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's recurrent right lower thoracic pain with right shoulder drop and mild atrophy, effective from July 29, 2009. The Veteran was previously rated as 10 percent disabling prior to that date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied as there is no current evidence of a disability or the conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of a right shoulder disability is denied as there is no evidence of an informal claim prior to May 29, 1997.

The Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis of the shoulders, knees, and lower back is related to his active duty service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's upper back or shoulder disability and bilateral knee disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. Therefore, these claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant's current left shoulder disability is not causally related to his active service or any incident therein, and thus denied the claim of service connection for a left shoulder disability.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher evaluation for right shoulder impingement syndrome was withdrawn.,The Veteran's left clavicle fracture is currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including new VA examinations to determine the nature and likely etiology of any diagnosed left shoulder condition and heart condition. The case will be returned to the Board after this development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right shoulder disability and headaches disorder were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of the current assigned ratings.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left shoulder strain is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at a private hospital in Kentucky due to a motorcycle accident is granted, as the treatment was necessary and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Board found no evidence of a current right shoulder disability and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's hypertension is not rated as compensable.,There is no evidence of a current right knee disability.,There is no evidence of a current right shoulder disability.,There is no evidence of a current right lung disability.,There is no evidence of a current cervical spine disability.,There is no evidence of a current thoracic spine disability.,The Veteran's hearing loss does not meet the criteria for service connection.,There is no evidence of residuals of burst left ear drum other than hearing loss.,PTSD was not incurred in or aggravated by service.,Tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service.,A missing partial spinal cord and congenital tethered cord syndrome were not incurred in service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and recurrent dislocation of the left shoulder with degenerative changes were denied. The Veteran was assigned a 30 percent rating for his service-connected conditions, which is the maximum schedular rating available under current VA regulations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, sleep apnea, and hypertension. The Board found that these conditions were not related to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection claims related to neck, back, and shoulder disorders. The case is being remanded due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's initial ratings for his left and right shoulder conditions have been granted at 20 percent each, effective February 17, 2005.

The Veteran's initial ratings for left shoulder and left ankle disabilities have been granted, but the Board finds no evidence to warrant a higher rating based on current symptomatology.

The Board found that the Veteran's left shoulder disability did not have its onset during service and is not related to his active military service. The claim for service connection was denied.